Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Minecraft Server Control Panels

Crafty Controller vs Minecraft Server Manager

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Crafty Controller #2 in Minecraft Server Control Panels 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Crafty
Minecraft Server Manager #6 in Minecraft Server Control Panels 7.5/10 Open source ✓ 4 of 5 features Visit site

Crafty Controller leads on 0 checks, Minecraft Server Manager on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreCrafty Controller · 7.9/10
  • Free planonly Crafty Controller

Crafty Controller scores higher on our rubric for minecraft server control panels: 7.9 against 7.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #6.

Crafty Controller is the better fit for free users wanting a polished general panel. Minecraft Server Manager is the better fit for power users managing many server types.

  • Crafty Controller fits best

    Free users wanting a polished general panel

  • Minecraft Server Manager fits best

    Power users managing many server types

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Crafty Controller 7.9/10 Visit ↗ Minecraft Server Manager 7.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 7.9 7.5
Ranking #2 in Minecraft Server Control Panels #6 in Minecraft Server Control Panels
Best for Free users wanting a polished general panel Power users managing many server types
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Open source
Free plan ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted, Mobile Self-hosted
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Community, Docs Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market Solo, Small business
Features Crafty Controller 4/5 · Minecraft Server Manager 4/5
Scheduled backups ✓ ✓
Web file manager ✓ ✓
SFTP access — Not checked yet
Multi-user roles ✓ ✓
Server import ✓ ✓
Specs
Supported operating systems Both Both
Server software support Minecraft Java, Minecraft Bedrock, JAR-based Minecraft servers, Bedrock executables, Forge, NeoForge Vanilla, Paper, Forge, NeoForge, Fabric, Spigot, Bukkit, Purpur, Quilt, Pufferfish, Folia, Leaf, Mohist, Arclight, Magma, Ketting, SpongeVanilla, Auto CurseForge, Modrinth, FTBA, and custom servers
Our review
Pros
  • Supports Minecraft Java and Bedrock server management
  • Includes backups, schedules, roles, and crash recovery
  • Free, open source, and accessible through web and mobile apps
  • Supports vanilla, modded, plugin, modpack, and custom server configurations
  • Combines CLI, web management, monitoring, file operations, and player controls
  • Includes automated backups, role-based users, and multi-server routing
Cons
  • Does not provide panel-level SFTP access
  • Requires self-hosting and administration
  • No verified integrations are listed
  • Requires self-hosting and Docker-based server infrastructure
  • Windows support runs through WSL2 rather than native Windows
  • macOS use requires Docker Desktop
Our verdict

Crafty Controller is a free, open-source Minecraft server launcher and management panel from Arcadia Technology. It runs as a self-hosted web application for administrators managing Minecraft Java, Bedrock, JAR-based, Forge, or NeoForge…

Read the review →

Minecraft Server Manager is an open-source, self-hosted system for individuals and small teams running multiple Docker-based Minecraft servers. Its mcctl command-line interface and optional web console cover server lifecycle controls,…

Read the review →
  1. Crafty ControllerMinecraft Server Control Panels 7.9Free plan
  2. Minecraft Server ManagerMinecraft Server Control Panels 7.5Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Crafty Controller — where it wins

    • Supports Minecraft Java and Bedrock server management
    • Includes backups, schedules, roles, and crash recovery
    • Free, open source, and accessible through web and mobile apps

    Where it doesn't

    • Does not provide panel-level SFTP access
    • Requires self-hosting and administration
    • No verified integrations are listed

  • Minecraft Server Manager — where it wins

    • Supports vanilla, modded, plugin, modpack, and custom server configurations
    • Combines CLI, web management, monitoring, file operations, and player controls
    • Includes automated backups, role-based users, and multi-server routing

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires self-hosting and Docker-based server infrastructure
    • Windows support runs through WSL2 rather than native Windows
    • macOS use requires Docker Desktop
  • Crafty Controller7.9/10 · Free plan

    A polished, free control panel with broad core tools for Java and Bedrock servers.

    Visit CraftyFull verdict →
  • Minecraft Server Manager7.5/10 · Open source

    A broad, open-source control panel for power users managing varied Minecraft server stacks.

    Visit siteFull verdict →

More comparisons

All minecraft server control panels comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update